By S. L. MacGregor Mathers

To
explain their symbolism briefly and concisely is the object
of the present address. In the explanation of the
symbols of the 0=
0 degree of Neophyte, your attention has been directed to
the general mystical meaning of the juxtaposition of
the twoPillars, and therefore I will only beg of you to
notice that theHieroglyphics of one are painted in black upon a
white around,
and those of the other in the same colours but
reversed, the better to express the interchange and
reconcilement of opposing forces in the Eternal Balance of Light andDarkness, which gives form to the visible universe.

The black square bases represent Darkness and Matter
wherein the Spirit, the Ruach Elohim, formulate the
eternalpronunciation of the Ineffable name: that name which
theRabbins of old have said rusheth through the Universe; thatname before which rolled back the darkness at the
birth of theMorning of Time.

The flame-red triangular capitals which crown the summitsof the Pillars represent the Triune
Manifestation of the Spiritof Life, the 'three Mothers' of the Sepher Yetzirah,
the threealchemical principles of Nature, the Sulphur, the
Mercuryand the Salt, and each Pillar is surmounted by its
ownLight-bearer, though veiled from the material world.

The Hieroglyphical figures upon the Pillars are taken fromthe vignettes of the 17th and 125th Chapters of the
'Ritual ofthe Dead' the Egyptian 'Per-M-Hru'. This celebrated
andmost ancient work is a collection of mystical hymns andaddresses in the form of a species of ceremonial
ritual for theuse of the Soul after Death, to enable him to unite
himself tothe Body of Osiris the Redeemer, thenceforth in the
Ritual ishe no longer called the Soul but he is called the
'Osiris' ofwhom he is a member. 'I am the Vine, ye are the
branches'said the Christ of the New Testament. 'I am a member
of theBody of Osiris' said the purified and justified
Soul. The Soulluminous and washed from sin in the uncreated and
immortallight, united to Osiris and justified Son of God,
such is thesubject of the great Egyptian Ritual, purified by
suffering,strengthened by opposition, Nor is the 'Ritual of
the Dead' awork of comparatively recent times, for the great
Egyptologists Birch and Bunsen, assert that its origin is anterior toMenes, and belongs probably to the Pre-Menite
Dynasty ofAbydos, between 3100 and 4500
bc and it implies that at thatperiod tiie system of Osirian worship and mythology wasalready in actual existence.

Of all the Chapters in the Per-M-Hru, the 17th is one of
theoldest as shown by its gloss and scholia; and it is the
symbolsof this chapter and the 125th which form the designs
of thePillars before you. At the base of each rises the
lotus symbolicof new life, regeneration and metempsychosis. In the
papyriwhich have the hieroglyphical text of this chapter a
group ofred hieroglyphs occurs at intervals, the literal
translation ofwhich is the 'explanation'. After these groups comes
a shortCommentary or gloss on the preceding and
more ancient text.

According to the pre-cited authorities this gloss was mixedup with the text as early as 2250
bc at a period long anterior tothe era of Joseph and to that of the Trojan War, and
thecircumstances of its possessing a written Commentary, even
atthis early date shows that much greater antiquity of the
actualtext. The especial title of the 17th chapter is 'The
Book of theEgyptian Faith' and its subject is a sort of hymn of
theOsirified Soul, which may be partially and succintly
reproduced as follows:

The Words of the Departed Spirit, Osiris — Son of God

I am Temu, the Setting Sun — I am the only Being in theFirmament.

I am Ra, the Rising Sun, I have passed from the Gate ofDeath unto life.

The Sun's power beginneth again, after he hath set he
risethagain. (So doth the justified Spirit of Man)

I am the Great God, begotten of himself. I can never beturned back by the Elementary Powers: I am the
Morning, Iknow the Gate: (I ever rise again into Existence; I
know thePathway through Death unto Life.)

The Father of the Spirit, the Eternal Soul of the Sun, hehath examined and he hath proved me; he hath found
that Ifought on Earth the battle of the Good Gods — as he,
myFather, Lord of the Invisible World, hath ordered me to do.

I know the Great God who existeth in the Invisible. I am
theGreat Phoenix which is in Annu, the Former of my Life andmy Being am I.

The symbols on the columns, beginning at the top of the onewith black figures on a white ground, are mystical
representations of the various paragraphs of the 17th chapter. Theyshow: The symbols ofTemu, the Setting Sun, the Past and theFuture. The Adoration of Temu in the West. The Abode
ofthe West shown by the Jackal of Anubis in a shrine with
Isisand Nephthys adoring. The Adoration of Osiris. The Phoenixor Bennu. The reformation of the departed spirit
shown by thesoul descending to the body on the bier, in the form
of ahuman headed bird, Khem of dual manifestation, shown bythe birds on either side of the prostrate mummy. So
thepurified soul passes ever onward and upward, and still uses
itsmystical hymn. It reaches the pools of the two Truths,
shownby the two quadrangular figures; it passes through
Anrutf, theGate of the North, and through the Gate of Tajeser,
and itsaith to the mystical Guardians 'Give me your
strength, for Iam made even as ye'. Then comes the Mystical Eye of
Osirisrepresenting the orb of the Sun, and the Cow,
symbolic of theGreat Water, the Blue Firmament of Heaven. Next theadoration of the Lords of Truth behind the Northern
Heaven.'Hail unto ye, ye Lords of Truth, ye Chiefs behind
Osiris! yefollowers of her whose peace is sure.' Then the soul
arises atthe mystic pool of Persea Trees, wherein is Horus,
symbolisedby the great Cat, who slays the evil serpent,
Apophis. Last ofthe symbols of the 17th chapter is the adoration of
the Creatorin his Bark, and the uniting of the purified Soul
with itsmaker.

The 125th chapter is called The Hall of the Two Truths,and of separating a person from his sins when he has
beenmade to see the faces of the Gods' It opens with a solemnadoration of the Lords of Truth and the Ceremony of
passingby the forty-two Assessors of the Dead, represented
by seatedfigures. Then comes the Weighing of the Soul, and
themystical naming of various parts of the Hall, the naming ofwhich is insisted on by the various guardians, and
is similar tothe mystic circumambulation of the Neophyte in the
Path ofDarkness in the 0=0 when he has to name the
Guardians ofthe Gates of the East and West. The figures on the
Pillarrepresent the Soul introduced by the jackal-headed
Anubis,the guide of the Dead, into the Hall of Truth. The
Soul thenwatches the weighing of its actions in Earth life
against a figureof Truth in the mystical scales of Ma by Anubis. Thoth,ibis-headed, records the judgement and the Devourer
standsready to seize if the soul has led an evil life.

Passing through this ordeal, the soul is then introduced
intothe presence of Osiris by Horus. Osiris sits in his shrine
upona throne, with the Crook and Scourge, symbols of mercy andseverity, in his hands; behind him are Isis and
Nephthys, theGoddesses of Nature and Perfection, and before him
are thefour Genii of the Dead, upon the Lotus Flower, the
emblem ofthe metempsychosis. Thus the whole of the symbols
upon thePillars represent the advance and purification of
the Soul, andits uniting with Osiris the Redeemer in that Golden
Dawn ofan infinite Light, wherein the Soul is transfigured,
knows alland can do all, for it has become joined unto
Eternal God inthe veritable: